This week I would love to talk about a simple scripture that really touched me in my personal reading in 3 Nephi 22. The entire chapter is beautiful, and I love especially the tender mercies He shows forth as He describes His own nature. Here we see another glimpse into the true nature of God and His perfect attributes. What really hit me personally were the titles He is given and what those mean for me. In verse 5 it reads, "For thy maker, thy husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth shall he be called."
Each title here could be the topic of its own library of volumes of evidences and testimonies and yet the libraries would not be able to hold them. What I found powerful was reading each title and asking what that means for me. He is the one who made me, who formed me and allowed me literal life both spiritually and physically and he continues to make me into the man I want to become. He is equally yoked in my life and protects and presides so that I can even call him an equal partner in my marriage. He is glorious and powerful so that no powers on earth combined can stand before Him, and that same omnipotent being that commands armies is on my side when I choose to follow Him. He redeemed me, He picked me up out of the dust and strengthened me to a spot of purity once more before my Heavenly Father. He is the one that can help me and because of His nature and sinless life, He was able to live for me and become the Savior of all worlds. He is our God, He is the God of our enemies, and because of him I can love and see eternal potential in all people and go forth to serve them.
This scripture was powerful to me and I think dissecting and asking what each part means to us is a beneficial exercise that allows the Holy Ghost to instruct us personally. I invite all to do the same, in the name of my mercy seat, Jesus Christ, Amen.

This week, in class we talked about the suffering of Christ in Gethsemane, and his finishing the preparations in order that we may all be saved. What happened there we may not now, nor can we tell the pains He had to bear. But we believe it was for us, he died and suffered there. I loved learning about Him and feeling that closeness to my Savior as I come to try to know Him and the overwhelming love He must have felt in order to go through with this act that triumphed all other moments in all history. It was the culmination, it was the victorious moment, the agonizing moment we had exercised faith in for millenia in the pre existence and which all people everywhere will have to have faith in in order to continue on the pathway to Him. His suffering was beyond comprehension, and nothing I can say can begin to describe the extent to which He felt the deepest of pain and suffering for us. However, as Christ speaks of this moment in D&C 19:15-19, He says very swiftly that the glory be to the Father, and not to Him. After being designated as the Savior and preparing to do this, given that He had given Him the powers of heaven, that His is the priesthood, why would He give the glory to the Father. I understood humility but I also knew that credit is due where credit is due especially if it points us in the right direction. For years I didn't understand why He gives the credit to the Father.
Looking back now, I think part of my confusion came because I didn't understand what it is like to be a Father, and I forgot to always remember who allows all this to be possible. The question was asked in class, that if the sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham was is in similitude of Heavenly Father allowing His perfect Son to die for us, to offer himself a sacrifice for sin, who had the harder part? Isaac willingly gave himself as he talked to his father for no 30 year old can be over powered and tied down to an altar by someone well over 100 years old. He willingly gave himself for obedience, but who had the harder part between Isaac and Abraham? Imagine looking your only son in the eyes as you prepare the altar and the knife. Imagine the love ripping his heart apart as he realizes the reality of what he is about to do. Imagine his thoughts drifting to his dear wife, whom he will have to tell very soon that he has just killed her only son she bore in her old age. Imagine that agony, and perhaps it will be a small glimpse into what Heavenly Father must have experienced that night. Christ was perfect and had all power to stop but He drank the cup as the wrath of an All Mighty God was released on the only one who never deserved a single morsel of it. That justice would be felt and satisfied by the only one who never needed to feel it. The love Heavenly Father had for His perfect Son is expressed many times, but never before had it hit me so hard what He had to suffer that night and that the glory indeed be all to the Father. I love Him for everything He has done, does and always will do for His children. His is the plan that allows so much happiness and progression for me. His are the ears that my pleas fill daily. And I hope to come to know Him more through His Son.

This week as I read in Matt 20 and also heard in class the story of the two blind men right before Jesus enters Jerusalem for his final week, something hit me. I am sure there are many interpretations to scripture that the Spirit can use to instruct us according to our needs and questions at the time, and this time I learned something different than was shared in class. As Christ hears that these men are calling for him, He stops and asks something very interesting, he looks at these men and can clearly see what is wrong here. He knows the intent of their hearts and even more obvious He knows that they are blind. He could have healed them but instead he looks at them and asks, "What will ye that I shall do unto thee?"
What I thought of this week reading this, is the fact that Christ is about to end His mortal ministry. His teachings are not unheard, and He has been teaching very clearly every second that He can in all places. So when He asks this question, perhaps He was allowing a test, a chance for them to apply everything He had taught up to this point. He had taught so many incredible attributes we can acquire and how we can truly repent and come to our Heavenly Father. He taught of the Holy Ghost, and He taught of forgiveness of sins over physical healings. Perhaps here in a way Christ wanted to give them a chance to aspire for anything, the same way He asked of the disciples of the Book of Mormon what they wanted. They received according to their desires, even though as we read in modern revelation that John and the three nephite disciples desired something greater. Maybe Christ asks us the same thing, or as Elder Holland once put it, "You can have what you want, or you can have something better."
The men respond with a petition to be healed. Obviously faith was present and I diminish that in no way, but sometimes I ask myself if Christ did not think of the incredible things they could have received had they had greater desires. In verse 34 I like the word used, "compassion". He does not joy in their desires, He does not marvel at their faith. Once again, I know these men are incredible, but I can't help but ask how many times Heavenly Father hears my lesser desires and has compassion on me. He knows what is better, and He can tell us if we ask and listen, but so many times we are so preoccupied with the immediate problem before us that I know I dont consider the greater gifts God has for me. I love Him and know that He loves us, He has compassion with our fragile wills and growing capacity to follow Him. But I want Him to feel that joy He sometimes expresses, I want Him to be proud, I don't want to be one of the ones that He will say to at the last day, "Thy will be done". I want to say those words, and I think these two men are a perfect illustration of that principle. 

This week the scripture that really hit wasn't a particular verse but rather the first few chapters from Acts. Here we have the apostles and they have the incredible charge to teach ALL nations and convert everyone, not just Jerusalem. They are to establish the Lords kingdom here on the earth and do everything they can to move it forward. Thinking about that made me wonder where I would start. If you needed to teach everyone and quickly, what is the fastest way? I don't know the answer but Peter and the others give a response that is very telling. Every time they open their mouths to teach in the first five chapters of Acts that I read this week, they preach Christ. They talk of Him, they testify of Him, they speak of His mission and His divinity. They tell everyone who that man was they saw. They only preach Him, and the results are miraculous. Literally thousands are converted and baptized and join the church and band of followers.
It made me think about the way I not only interact with my fellow human beings and brother and sisters here, it made me think about the way I share the Gospel. It isnt that complicated. We should speak of Christ and strive to know Him on the level that the apostles did, then sharing the Gospel will come naturally. People will feel the knowledge we have of our Savior and will naturally gravitate towards the additional teachings we have for the world. I love Him, and I want to speak of Him more often and come to know Him. Like Elder Andersen taught, if we are ever unsure what to say as we share with those not of our faith (or those that are too) speak of Christ. And as Elder Oaks taught recently, people usually don't want the doctrine, they want the results of the doctrine. Then once they feel those fruits, they will desire to learn the doctrine. 

As I read the scriptures and attended class this week, I was impressed by the story of Peter on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. He gives a powerful sermon centered on Jesus Christ and is able to boldly tell the people of His divinity and glory. I have often repeated the words of the crowd back to Peter to show what conversion sounds like as they say, "Men and Brethren, what shall we do?" to which Peter exhorts them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that they can receive the Holy Ghost all there had experienced. The part that hit me while reading is what comes after, where those new converts then proceed to endure to the end and progress in their testimonies.
Verse 46 really hit me:
"And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart"

These new converts really were amazing. They had felt in their hearts this godly sorrow that drives us to bridge the gap and repair the breach between our Savior and us, then with the help of the apostles, they stay on the covenant pathway. Especially with Pres Nelson's address directly following the announcement of his call to be the new president of the church, he talked of staying on the covenant pathway. These converts were careful and deliberate in partaking of the sacrament and attending the temple with we can liken to our Sabbath worship and temple worship. We can liken this to not just attending those meetings, but really renewing our covenants with full purpose of heart acting with no hypocrisy. When I have done so, I have felt that same gladness and singleness of heart. I have felt joy in knowing I am closer to my Savior, and I have felt the humility and purity that comes from a clean conscience. That virtue gives us joy and singular purpose, and allows us to better love others and serve our God. The rest of the surrounding verses talk of other things we can do to persevere to the end of our lives in Christ, but I share this verse feeling that it holds particular weight with the prophetic exhortions of our day. I know that my Savior lives. I love Him so much for what He has done and is doing and will yet do for someone as low as I. I do not always feel worthy of His love but I know my worth, and I know He saves, and that He redeems, and He loves me. I feel joy in that, and pray for a singleness of heart to now serve Him.

Hi friends and those who accidentally click on this.

I was reading a lot in the Testament of John especially after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. The apostles after talking with Christ a few times, are unclear as to what they should be doing and looking for guidance turn to Peter who says to them that he is going fishing. As I studied this chapter I reread the talk by Elder Holland entitled "The First Commandment," in the which he talks of this experience. I love the portrayal Elder Holland gives it as these slightly confused apostles go back to what they know best without a clear direction to go in. Perhaps they had heard their call, but I don't believe they felt and understood their call until this morning coming off the lake.

Elder Holland talked about these verses with such force that I will paraphrase a little of what he said. First in verse 15, it says,
"So when they had dined, Jesus saith unto Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea Lord; thou knowest that I love thee."

After responding Jesus returns to ask him this question, a second and then really digging in, asks the burning question a third time. Peter, maybe thinking harder or perhaps confirming or perhaps even with equal sincerity responds to the affirmative.

Now why would Christ be asking a question like this after He had given them command to teach all nations? Here they were fishing! They were going back to what they knew best but leaving aside the weightier matters, the things that really mattered. Here they are, perhaps like I said knowing what to do but hadn't quite felt what they needed to do. So Jesus helps them to see the why in asking the question that should motivate all other things in our lives. Do you love me?

That is the reason we act. That is the reason we obey. It is the reason we strive diligently to serve and to share this Gospel and to lift all others around us to a higher plane of living. This is not an item for the backburner, this IS the flame that ignites the rest and it is fueled by that statement, Do you love me?

I will use Elder Holland's words to summarize, "What I need, Peter, are disciples—and I need them forever. I need someone to feed my sheep and save my lambs. I need someone to preach my gospel and defend my faith. I need someone who loves me, truly, truly loves me, and loves what our Father in Heaven has commissioned me to do. Ours is not a feeble message. It is not a fleeting task. It is not hapless; it is not hopeless; it is not to be consigned to the ash heap of history. It is the work of Almighty God, and it is to change the world. So, Peter, for the second and presumably the last time, I am asking you to leave all this and to go teach and testify, labor and serve loyally until the day in which they will do to you exactly what they did to me."

I know that we can be those disciples, and I choose to be changed forever by this message. I will return from my mission but I will not go back home. I will not go back to normal, I will live what I know and feel like Peter until the day I am called back to the presence of my Savior to very likely answer that same question, "Isaac, did you love me?"

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Hello dearest friends. This week I found something in my reading that really impacted me in the reading of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ especially the part where He is taken in before Pilate. Here He is, in front of the most powerful person in Jerusalem. He is the one that has all the power from Rome and gives the okay on all things regarding the Jews. This is the man to fear if there ever was one. Now picture Jesus Christ, He has already suffered beyond anything a man can suffer in Gethsemane for hours, and all night was being beaten and abused and tortured basically and I doubt He slept at all. So here He is in the lowest point physically someone can be in, and here is the ruler of the land and Christ doesn't even respond to his first question. Pilate almost mad asks why He isn't answering if he has the power to kill him. Christ responds, "Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." (John 19:11).
Can't you hear the power there? What I take from this is the power that comes from being in good standing with your Heavenly Father, this is the power of personal righteousness and purity which is virtue. He had power when He talked and others could feel it. So much so, that when Pilate was talking to the crowd later he called Christ their King more than once. Later he wrote in on the plaque above His head and refused to change it when the Jews requested that they change it. Pilate truly believed and felt that this man was different, he felt the power when this man talked and knew that He was special. Any man could feel the absolute dignity and regality with which Christ composed himself, for it was power that is not learned, it is earned through His merits.
Not only did I learn of the dignity of Christ but also how interesting it is that Pilate knew that this man was the Son of God. Yes it is sad that he would be guilty of such an offense, but it is also worth noting that even a normal man could feel how special the Savior was and was willing to admit that he believed of the divinity of Christ. Would we recognize Him? Would we be willing to ignore the voices of the world to act upon those impressions? I feel that the two questions we ask and are answered here are 1. What can learn from Christ's dignity in responding? and 2. How are we like Pilate sometimes?
May we choose to live right and may we listen to the testimony of Christ the Holy Ghost imparts.